Wilton parents support boost in special needs spending

By MATT KIERNAN Villager Staff Writer

Published
7:31 am EDT, Friday, March 29, 2013

WILTON — Residents spoke out in favor of increasing funding for special needs programs in Wilton schools Wednesday during the Board of Finance’s public hearing on the fiscal year 2014 education budget.

The Board of Education is proposing an 11.9 percent, or $1.8 million increase for special education in its $76.89 million budget for the upcoming year.

“They’re making changes that are just vital,” said Wilton resident Maria Wilcox at the hearing, held in the Middlebrook School auditorium.

Wilcox said she has a son who used to be in a special education program in Wilton schools. Thanks to teachers giving him extra help, his skills improved and he is no longer in the program, she said.

The board is asking for a 3.8 percent increase from fiscal year 2013’s $74.05 million education budget.

The budget includes: adding the full-time equivalent of one special education teacher to Middlebrook School; replacing Middlebrook’s industrial arts program with a science, technology, engineering and math program (STEM); hiring 3.35 FTE reading teachers for a K-5 literacy program; and providing an optional extension of school days for kindergarten students, adding 90 minutes for reading and writing class time.

“I moved here for the education,” said Joe Burton, a resident who has lived in Wilton for a little more than a year.

Burton said the town’s special education program is the best in Connecticut, and the school system is the better than all others in the county.

According to Board of Education Chair Bruce Likly, other proposed costs in the budget come from salary, benefits and health insurance increases that the board has no control over.

Likly said he and his board are aware that some residents are concerned about higher taxes during tough economic times.

“We are listening, we are trying to do what we can,” said Likly.

Not all of the attendees, though, were in favor of the proposals.

Wilton resident Marissa Lowthert said that in past years, Wilton schools spent less and “got great results.”

“Past boards knew how to keep everyone happy,” said Lowthert.

She added that the worst possible scenario for the town would be if the Board of Finance accepts the education board’s proposed budget.

Likly said he would like to have lower taxes as much as any other Wilton resident, but that he cannot see the budget being trimmed any more.

This year, the Board of Finance has requested the Board of Selectmen and Board of Education maintain their budget increases to 1.75 percent.

“It’s larger than I’d like it to be, but I also think it’s as thin as it can be,” said Likly about the education budget.

The selectmen have proposed a $31.45 million municipal budget, a 3.62 percent increase over last year.

The Board of Selectmen was scheduled to host a public hearing on the municipal budget Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in Middlebrook School.

The Annual Town Meeting for residents to vote on the budgets will be held Tuesday, May 7.

Finance board members will spend the next few weeks reviewing the proposed budgets to make additional recommendations to the selectmen and education board directors.

“We have our work cut out for us,” said Warren Serenbetz, chair of the finance board, at the meeting.